On our own anniversary (which is October 1, 2005 in case anyone is tracking) we often pull out our wedding album and relive all the happiness which was (and continues to be) our wedding. To help Dustin and Katie celebrate, we thought we would put together a few images to remember all the fun details from their big day.

For us, the best part of photographing Katie and Dustin had to be how much time we had to work with them.  We spent a couple hours just on bridal portraits—about an hour on the grounds of the Newport Beach Temple for formal shots followed by an hour of portraits at The Lab in Costa Mesa for photos with a more casual look.  It was awesome not to have any time constraints for portraits before heading to their reception later that evening.

In fact, we had so much fun taking pictures at their wedding that we actually added a special package aimed at budget-conscious LDS couples who still appreciate great wedding photography (check out our Orange County LDS wedding photo package).

So without further ado, here are some highlights from Katie and Dustin’s wedding.

Congratulations love birds!

Last night, Keith and I thought it would be fun to take a look at all the photos we’d taken the past 12 months.  Our hard drives are full of 40+ family sessions, engagements, weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries that we had the awesome opportunity to photograph.

But it’s always better to show, not tell, right?  So to visually recap the year, we’ve put together this nifty collage featuring ALL of our fabulous 2011 clients.

So to all our our families and bridal couples, we’d liked to say THANK YOU.  Thank you for trekking through the tall grass, across the sand, or up the hill to find the perfect photo spot.  Thank you for dazzling us with your cute outfits, adorable hair ribbons, and stylish shoes. Thank you for your smiles, giggles, and the little dances in front of our lenses. But most of all, thanks SO MUCH for trusting us with capturing your celebrations, memories, and special moments.

Meet Cate and Ian, a gorgeous twosome we photographed at the Newland Barn in July. Considering Orange County used to be dotted with tons of farms, it’s a shame that so few barn venues exist to give couples the rustic backdrop they’re looking for (although the big barn at Strawberry Farms in Irvine is another good choice).

I started the day by meeting up with the girls at The Hotel Hanford in Costa Mesa while Keith hung out with the guys at the Courtyard Marriott in Santa Ana.

Then we met up at the Newland Barn to take his-and-hers bridal party portraits.

There were lots of cool details, including an abundance of pinwheels which was a dominant icon of this southern-themed wedding.  And guess who made all those pinwheels? The father of the bride!

Finally it was time to get down to business. Cate and Ian chose the water tower as their backdrop rather than the gazebo, just like this prior Newland Barn wedding we shot, and we think it adds a nice touch.

After the ceremony we took some portraits of the bride and groom since they went the traditional route and didn’t see each other before the wedding.

And then…the party! After the first dance, guests dined on delicious burgers catered by In-N-Out.

The best man gave a great speech, but was then upstaged by the matron of honor (her sister Shelly) who sang a touching, funny song complete with her own guitar accompaniment in lieu of an actual speech. Classic!

It was a fantastic night! Cate and Ian capped off their evening with a grand exit surrounded by sparklers. We hope these two had as much fun as we did!

Congratulations to an awesome couple!

And a big thank you to all the great vendors we worked with as well:

Venue: The Newland Barn at Newland House Museum, Huntington Beach
Coordinator: Bre Nelson, Joyful Weddings and Events
Cake: Sweet and Saucy Shop
Flowers: Art with Nature
Lighting: Baker Party Rentals
Catering: In-N-Out Burger

But that’s not all! Our photos from Cate and Ian’s big day were featured on the Wedding Chicks blog.  Be sure to stop by and check them out!

Exactly one year ago today, these two tied the knot in a wedding that was filled with an abundance of friends, family, emotion, and of course, the color pink!  We were only able to post a few shots from their wedding at the end of last year.  So to celebrate their first anniversary as Mr. and Mrs. we’re recapping a few of our favorite details from their big day.

Keith and I knew we were in for a treat when we arrived at Green Hills Baptist Church in La Habra on the morning of the wedding.  Their families had spent the previous couple of days decorating the church to fit Jenna and Matthew’s pink and black-and-white damask theme.

We loved the bottles of cider ready to greet guests at the entrance of the reception area.

After taking in the details, we headed upstairs to find Jenna and the girls getting ready.

With hair and makeup complete, we followed Jenna to nearby Creek Park in La Mirada.  The purpose of this excursion: Jenna and Matthew’s first look.  We love that Jenna and Matthew opted to meet and take photographs together before the ceremony.

Yes, it does break with tradition, but the benefits are worth it.  During the fall and winter months, the sun sets much earlier.  By taking photos before the ceremony, Keith and I were able to take advantage of the early afternoon light and not have to worry about chasing down the sun and popping our flashes.  Plus, the mood was relaxed and calm.  Time was built into Jenna’s wedding schedule so that all photos for the first look, family portraits, and bridal party would be shot before the ceremony.  With that plan, there’s no need to worry about keeping guests waiting at the reception.

And here’s proof that a first look is just as emotional as when a bride sees her groom for the first time coming down the aisle.

Jenna and Matthew’s church ceremony has to be one of our favorites.  Jenna’s dad not only walked her down the aisle, be also officiated the ceremony.  It’s always nice to witness a ceremony where the officiant knows both the bride and groom so well.

And perhaps our favorite moment—Jenna and Matthew’s sparkler send-off.

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Taylor! You’re a special couple and we hope you have a great time celebrating your first anniversary!

We hinted at a few of their photos in a re-cap we posted last year. But seeing as how today marks their first anniversary, we wanted to share a bit more.  First up, a few details of Diana prepping before the wedding at her parents’ house.

This cool couple picked the University Club at UC Irvine to host their wedding day. We never spent much time around UC Irvine, much less the Club, but it turns out the facility is centrally located to great green areas as well as more urban-looking options closer to the various classroom buildings—perfect for portraits!

And we’d like to point out Diana and Phil had one of most fun-loving bridal parties. Not every group can pull this off as well as they did.

The ceremony took place out on the grass under a gazebo, a nice touch with some flowers.

An added bonus at this facility is Cindy, a super-talented and helpful coordinator who manages to keep everything on track and with a big smile. We’ve met her several times and she’s always super bubbly and helpful. The club itself sports a “library” which serves as a lounge area plus a larger meeting area with high ceilings and plenty of natural window light for fancy receptions. Some draped tulle and soft, colorful uplights transform the room into something special.

As with most weddings, the fun really begins when the DJ takes the reins at the reception and the guests let loose.

A proper goodbye to the guests of honor:

Thanks to Diana and Phil for being so fantastic! And congratulations on your first anniversary! We wish you many happy memories in the years to come.

Are you interested in booking the UC Irvine University Club for your own wedding? We’ve got 5 great tips to help you get your planning started.

Following the ceremony, everyone headed back to a private residence in the hills above Brea to celebrate and dance the night away.  If you missed their sneak peek on our blog, be sure to check it out.

Interested in booking a wedding at the arboretum? We’re familiar with the venue! Check out our suggestions to make the most of your Fullerton Arboretum wedding photos, or view more images from our orange county wedding photography portfolio.

Brides (and sometimes grooms, if they have an opinion on such matters) spend so much time getting every detail just so for their special day, and capturing those details is our favorite part of the day. Shoes, rings, dress, flowers… each piece tells a story about the couple’s personality and preferences.

We loved Kari’s wedding shoes!  The personal touch on the bottom of her shoes is adorable!

Kari said she wanted bright punches of color for accents on her big day.  She got exactly what she had in mind.  Check out this awesome bouquet!  It’s perfect for a Spring wedding.

The University Hills Community Center is a perfect wedding venue.  A large lawn behind the main building looks out over the hilly landscape and nearby Mariners Church.  The reception area itself is also worth checking out—three sides of the building are actually glass doors that can be opened to extend the venue and enjoy the green space.

A highlight for the day—a charming quick peck to end the ceremony.  Their first kiss may have short, but it was definitely sweet.

For reception fun, Kari and Chris hired the guys at Red Carpet Photo Booth.  The booth was available all night and guests climbed in several times for some quick pics.  The best part—when you exited the booth, a printout of your images was waiting for you!

In-N-Out.  We love any wedding where these burgers are served.  As did Kari’s brother.

Plus their hats provide great inspiration for the ring shots.

Our favorite shot of the night—a quick portrait of Kari and Chris.

Congratulation Kari and Chris!  Thanks so much for inviting us to be part of your wedding day.  You make an awesome couple!

And a big thank you to all the great vendors we worked with as well:

DJ: Atmosphere Entertainment
Cake & Cupcakes: Susie Cakes
Catering: In-N-Out, Fresh Fries Truck, Country Garden Caterers
Officiant: Greg Mohr
Photo Booth: Red Carpet Photo Booth
Flowers: Flowers Etc
Videographer: Ahwahnee Films
Wedding Coordinator: Veronica Kelley

]]> http://www.loriandersonphoto.com/2011/05/16/featured-the-lds-bride-blog/feed/ 0 http://www.loriandersonphoto.com/2011/04/26/decisions-decisions-choosing-a-wedding-photographer/ http://www.loriandersonphoto.com/2011/04/26/decisions-decisions-choosing-a-wedding-photographer/#comments Wed, 27 Apr 2011 05:50:15 +0000 Lori http://www.loriandersonphoto.com/?p=3845 Spring is here.  We’ve seen the proof, and you probably have, too.  Orange County’s hills are alive with wild mustard flowers. The local farm stands are loaded with delicious strawberries.  And the Easter bunny has hopped through town leaving behind tons of pastel-colored candy.  But our favorite sign of Spring—inquiries from newly engaged couples who are interested in booking us for their wedding day.

The decision to choose a photographer can be a tough one.  We’ve been there.  Almost six years ago Keith and I had to make the same decision for our own wedding.  And we probably had all the same questions our couples ask: What’s our budget for photos? What style of photos do we want?  Can we get all the photos on CD?

To help with the decision process, we thought it would be useful to share our top three tips in choosing a wedding photographer.

1.  Determine Your Style
Do you prefer classy or funky? Traditional or artsy? Posed or candid? Vintage or modern? You get the idea. The list is endless, but the best way to start your search is to determine what type of style will best reflect you as a couple, and in turn what style will best capture the venue and details for your big day.  Check out several photographer and wedding blogs to see what photographic styles best mesh with your vision for the day.

If you’ve taken a look at our wedding portfolio, you’ve probably gained a good sense of our shooting style: fun, friendly, and relaxed.  Except for the traditional group family shots, we aren’t big on overly posed photos.  Instead, we’d much prefer to follow you on your wedding day and capture the events as they unfold.  We’re also not big on heavy Photoshop effects that overpower the photos.  All our images are always color-corrected for our clients’ private online galleries.  Images are further refined (to remove blemishes or add some extra pop) for any prints or custom album orders.

2. Personality Counts
After doing your research, perhaps you’ve seen the work of a photographer that might be a good fit.  That’s awesome!  Give ‘em a ring or send ‘em a note and set up a time to meet.  We always recommend a face-to-face meeting with your fiancé and the photographer whenever possible.  Think of it as a first date—get together and see how everyone’s personality meshes.  After all, your photographer is the one who will be following you around for several hours on your wedding day, and the person you’ll be working with after the wedding to order your prints and design your album.

While we have booked some awesome brides right over the phone, we always prefer to meet our clients in person whenever possible.  Do you like Starbucks? Are you a fan of Yogurtland?  Send us a note and we’ll treat you to a coffee or frozen yogurt.  We want to hear all about the details for your big day, and together we can figure out if we’re a good match.

3. Work Within Your Budget
Last, but certainly not least, work within your budget.  We don’t believe in taking on huge amounts of debt to cover weddings costs.  Take an honest look at your budget and determine how much you can comfortably spend.  Yes, photos are important—they’re all you’re left with after the food is eaten, the cake is cut, and the flowers are dead.  But starting your marriage with massive credit card debt can be a huge bummer.  We’re firm believers that if you look hard enough there is a photographer out there who will fit every bride’s budget.  And be sure to understand all the details for any wedding photography package you purchase.  Does your package include an engagement session?  How soon will you be able to see your photos?  Does your package include a CD of the images? Are they edited?  Do you have permission re-print images? Can you order an album through your photographer?  If so, what’s the process like?

Interested in learning more about our wedding coverage?  A quick look at our pricing page will help answer some of these exact questions.  This year, we’re offering two choices for all of our couples.  The first option is an hourly a la carte rate, perfect for small weddings or brides on a tight budget.  The second option features a series of three wedding packages that vary in price based on amount of wedding day coverage (generally six to eight hours).  All of our packages include an engagement session, two photographers, all color-corrected images posted to a private online gallery, a CD of all the images with permission to re-print them, and either a modern coffee table book or traditional leather album.  They’re sweet deals!  Custom packages are also available.  And a more detailed price list is readily available.  Just send us a note to find out more.

Still have a few questions or need advice on booking a photographer?  We’re happy to lend an ear.  A quick note to us is all it takes for an experienced answer.  And because every post is better with a photo, check out this shot from Katie and Dustin’s Newport Beach LDS Temple wedding.